Finding My Tech Tribe: 2 Years as an AWS Community Builder
The Foundation of Communities
Human beings have always survived by being in a community for a very long time. Being part of a group helps with survival, motivation, companionship, and also protection from predators.
As we have evolved, we also now have more modern social communities; this could be online communities, religious communities, etc. They function like the ancient ones but in a modern way.
Starting My Tech Journey
When I started my journey on AWS, looking back at my journey in tech, Communities have always been very pivotal. I have found solace in knowing that there are people out there who have walked this journey before, are walking this journey, and others who are actually at the very start.
My First Tech Community Experience
The very first community that I discovered was Tech Twitter. There were different Twitter (now X) users who were sharing their tips, advice, and journey on how to navigate the tech environment. While this was immensely helpful, I craved a more organized tight-knit community. I then got a link to join the AWS Certifications channel on Reddit; this was very pivotal for me since I now had like-minded individuals pursuing AWS certifications. As much as this was good, I also needed a community where I would meet my colleagues physically. While Reddit was good, I would not be able to meet these people physically and share knowledge in the same room.
Finding My Local AWS Community
Finally, I met a former high-school mate who was based in the same city as me (Johannesburg). She told me about the Mzansi AWS User Group. I have to say, this was a career-changing moment for me. I say this because all this time, I had wanted to get into tech, always studying and improving my skills, but I had not seen people in the same area I was in who were doing the same thing as me. It is very important as you go through career building to find people who look like you, speak like you, and have almost the same challenges as you. I believe it helps with motivation and also helps you relate to what they are doing.
The Impact of Community Support
I still believe that all the communities that I have been part of have impacted me positively. Being part of the AWS User Group Mzansi has had the most impact. I received one-on-one mentoring sessions from their seasoned professionals. They would give me advice with that African context. I got to understand how to curate my online presence, how to prepare for interviews, and also tips on the companies to apply to.
Giving Back to the Community
When I finally landed a job, I also had to give back in terms of knowledge sharing and skills sharing of all that I had learned from the members of our User Group. This is still an ongoing endeavor, and I found that I really enjoy sharing knowledge.
Skills Developed Through Community Involvement
I believe so many skills can be learned by being part of a community. You get to have leadership skills, organizing skills, project management skills, and also just basic people skills. Some will define these as "soft skills." It also encourages that all-important skill - networking. A skill that I also learned by being part of Mzansi AWS UG is presenting. This has (still is) been my struggle, and those weekly presentation sessions have been very helpful. I have presented some sessions and also watched others present. This helps me improve.
Becoming an AWS Community Builder
After some time being part of the UG, I saw that some of the members were AWS Community Builders. I was very curious about what this was, read a bit of it, and was intrigued. This is what I had always wanted: a platform to meet with like-minded individuals who have a passion for sharing AWS knowledge and love working with people. I applied for the program and was accepted. I will be sharing my experiences in the next blog.
